All In A Days Work
by RE Vegeta
Summary: Short Story Spike had an older brother he never talked about, who left home at an early age. When an old friend is suddenly murdered, Spike finds himself forced to come face to face with his insane sibling in the battle of his life. R
1. Chapter 1

(I do NOT own Cowboy Bebop, and yes I threw in some cameo appearances from other things as well. Miles Speigel is MY creation however, so please don't steal him!)

All in a day's work(pt 1)

"He was a loving husband, an adoring father, and to many a good friend." The priest continued with the service as the rain began to fall. Spike Spiegel bowed his head as a lengthy prayer was said to the crowd. Jet Black put a hand on his shoulder, showing his sympathy.

After the service was over, Spike calmly said, "I'll be alright." Although Albert Wesker had been a good friend, he would not be overcome by grief. Spike had been to many funerals in his day, and although on the surface he appeared to be cold and uncaring, underneath was another matter. He sighed and stepped towards the coffin, which contained the body of a very old friend. Removing a set of paper clipped white roses from his suit, he pulled them free and handed them to as many people as possible.

"Nothing like a funeral to get Spike in a generous mood," Faye Valentine muttered to Jet. Spike scowled at her as he shoved the paperclip into his pocket.

"Faye, for a single moment in your life can you just shut the hell up?" Spike snapped. Faye backed down reluctantly, lucky for him that she felt sorry for him. If not Spike would already have had a few teeth missing. As Spike approached the coffin with his rose, he noticed a glimmer of green on the top of it. Reaching out, he grasped the soft, small item. It was a green rose. Why did that feel so familiar to him? Spike shrugged, threw down his rose and gave a small smile. "Goodbye Wesker old friend." He walked back to his teammates, cool and in control. "Let's go."

Faye gently grabbed his arm, "Don't you want to stay awhile? It's alright you know, we can wait."

"No," Spike shook his head. "It's time to go." Jet nodded and began to follow Spike back to the ship when a small beeping noise caused Spike to stop. He reached into

his tight fitting blue suit and pulled out a small comm.-device with a built in view screen. He had a similar one on his watch, which patched him directly through to his fellow crewmates. This was an outside call then, maybe another job that needed his bounty hunter expertise? Pressing the jade TALK button, he almost fell down in shock at the sight of the man staring back at him through the screen.

"Spike," Albert Wesker said professionally. The man was tall, in good shape and always sported a pair of dark sunglasses. His dark blonde hair was slicked back as usual. He smirked at Spike, " Oh come on, you didn't think I was dead did you? This is all a hoax pal, I'm caught up in something bad. Meet me at the docks to the North of the cemetery. I'll explain everything there. Goodbye Spike." The screen faded to black, leaving Spike standing there having just been spoken to by his dead friend. It had been a closed casket service after all, perhaps….

Jet approached him, "Uh, Spike?" The burly man scratched his bald head with his right arm, which was a replacement metal limb. "Was that who I thought it was?"

Spike lit a cigarette and said, "Jet, I have to go…now. I need you to help me with something."

Jet shrugged, "I guess so Spike, what's up?"

Spike sighed, "This is going to sound really strange, and I don't want any questions or anything. I need you to find out as fast as possible if Albert Wesker is in that coffin."

Jet nodded, "I hear ya, but with all this family here it might take a second."

"Just hurry up," Spike called back to him as he sped off to the North. As he exited the graveyard through the large rusty gates he suddenly saw a man standing in the midst of all the mourners. He saw a flash of white and blue, and then he was gone, just like that. Could It have been….Spike shook his head, "Not possible," he said as he took off towards the docks again. Still, as he ran he could not shake off the feeling that he was being watched.

Spike reached his destination shortly thereafter. Glancing around, he scanned the area for his old friend. _C'mon Jet, hurry up with that coffin_. He ran a hand through his wily green hair and sat down on an old, damp, dirty bench. _Why would Wesker want to meet me here?_ Above all places a dirty, run down boat dock? And who would want him to think that Albert was dead? Spike shrugged, "Thank god Viscious didn't show up at the funeral, I don't feel like killing him today." He realized he was talking to himself and grunted, rolling up his sleeves with long, but tremendously strong arms. Suddenly his watches screen beeped and lit up, and Jet's frantic face filled the tiny monitor. Before he could get a word off, Spike held up a finger, "Ah, this is great, the sea air, a beautiful sunset, the light rain." He took a deep breath and let it out dramatically. Jet's eyes widened and he let out a series of rambles. No longer interested in punishing Jet for making him wait so long, Spike asked patiently, "What did you find?" Jet's eyes were wild, darting back and forth. _Jet's never this panicked._ "What's wrong man?" he asked, now curious and more than a little concerned.

Jet whispered, "Dammit Spike, Wesker's body is in the coffin, I'm…I don't have time. I've got to get out of…Ah!" A sharp wince of pain was the last thing Jet could spit out, and then the monitor went dark.

Spike bolted out of his seat, "God I hate traps." A second later he was reminded why when a shovel came crashing down on the back of his head. Landing on his back, Spike peered through his hazy vision and saw another flash of blue and white before he fell into darkness.

"Man, you guys are pathetic!", Miles Speigel laughed at the three younger boys.

Spike grinned at his older brother, "You're like five years older than us, slow down!" Miles just laughed and sped up the snowy hill, leaving Spike with his two friends.

Viscious and Albert Wesker caught up to him, "Man Spike," Wesker said. "Your brother is fast," the boy pulled off his sunglasses, wiping his sweaty brow.

Viscious raised his gun, a six shot revolver oddly equipped with laser sighting. "Let's go get him," Viscious grinned, spinning the plastic cap gun on his finger, which had a small laser pointer duck taped to the orange tipped barrel.

Spike raised his own water gun and nodded, "Attack team!" Laughing, the three boys crested the hill. Albert suddenly was struck in the face by a cannonball, and fell down twitching.

"Man down!" Miles yelled, laughing as he ran away once more.

Spike meanwhile kneeled down and wiped the snowball fragments from Albert's face. "You did not die in vain soldier, we'll get him." Albert grinned and continued to play dead as Viscious and Spike took pursuit.

Spike awoke with a dopey grin spread wide across his face. He had almost forgotten about those good old days, when he, Wesker, Viscious, and Miles had all been one gang. Miles, his older brother hadn't been around in a very long time. Come to think of it, ever since Miles had left their home in his early teens, had Spike seen him even once? And as for Viscious, well everyone knew how he had turned out. A murderer, a back-stabber, even a maniac. Wesker had stuck with him though, always trying to stay in touch whether it had been going out for a drink or inviting him to his families home for the holidays. But hadn't Spike just been waiting for Wesker? No…Jet's call echoed through his head, and Spike was suddenly overcome by grief. Wesker was dead all over again. So had that been a pre-recorded message? All Spike knew was that his head hurt like hell, and he didn't think it was just because of thinking. He had been knocked out, but taken where?

Opening his eyes he was not surprised to see the barrel of a shotgun in his face. The gun's wielder called over his shoulder, "Sir, he's awake!" Eager footsteps approached, but from his vantage point on the ground all Spike could see were a pair of dark leather shoes and a tight fitting white suit. He couldn't turn his head far enough to see the man's face, but he somehow recognized the man anyway.

Maybe it was because the suit he wore was his exact replica, except for the color. Or maybe because also like him the man appeared to be tall, lanky, and he had his sleeves rolled up the same way he did. For a moment he thought he was somehow looking into a mirror, until the man spoke in a cold voice, "Put him in the chair."

Spike knew that voice, but from where…Maybe an old vengeful bounty? As he was lifted up and into a hard wooden chair, he noticed the mysterious man had a green rose tucked into his breast pocket. He muttered in confusion, his vision still blurred.

"Who. Who are you?"

The man's face was hidden in shadow, but a familiar voice drifted out of the darkness. "Do you not remember me Spike? Come now, you must remember me." Spike saw the man pull out a deck of playing cards, and watched as he shuffled them with dizzying speed and expertise. "In fact, I'm willing to _bet_ you do," he chuckled as he flipped the first card from the top of the deck and held it in front of Spike's face. An old worn photo of a young Albert Wesker had been taped to a Joker.

Spike shook his head, trying to see or even think clearly. "I recognize your voice. You wear clothes like mine, and I know that rose. I saw one at the funeral, a green rose."

The mysterious figure was clearly disappointed, and he shuffled the deck again, this time pulling two more cards. "That can't be all you've deduced Mr. Speigel, you are a bounty hunter. You're supposed to be quick, smart, and strong am I correct? Surely a good memory should go along with all those other wonderful talents." Spike could not see his face, but he knew that this familiar stranger was grinning like a shark. He glanced down at the pair of cards and a groan escaped his throat.

He saw it now, it was all too clear. The two cards were identical to the first, only replaced with photos of a young Viscious and Spike. He started to kick outward and buck his head, trying to get free as the man started shuffling the deck again, leaning in close to Spike. He squeezed his eyes shut, he didn't want to see the next card, he couldn't see the next card! The man pulled one more card and snapped Spike's head backwards by his hair, making him cry out in anguish and open his eyes. Through tears of pain he saw the card, already knowing whose face would be taped on it.

It was the Ace of Spades, and smiling at him in an old, yellowed picture was Miles Speigel, a direct contrast to the snarl on the face of his current self. Spike knew it was him, obviously it was his brother. The blue hair, almost identical face…but something was different this time around. _Had his brother always been this….crazy?_


	2. Chapter 2

Devon Raftery

All in a day's work 

Miles Speigel circled his bound little brother, a cruel smile on his face. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he snapped his fingers and pulled out a pistol seemingly out of thin air, like magic. Spike stared at the madman, utterly baffled in his head. _Why?_ "Why? Miles what the hell is going on? I haven't seen you since you left…"

"I don't need a history lesson!" Miles all but screamed. "I can remember it all on my own thank you very much! And don't play dumb, you know perfectly well why Spike!"

It made sense, Miles had always been in his shadow and Spike had known it. Although Spike was five years younger than his older brother, he seemed to always do anything and everything better than Miles. And what about all the years after his brother had left the family out of spite? Had Spike even once tried to find him, perhaps call him up to get a couple of drinks and apologize for it? No, because Spike was s tubborn ass. Spike Speigel? Apologize? In your dreams, and it was apparent by the situation that he was in that Albert Wesker had never tried to rekindle their childhood friendship either. Now that Spike thought about it, hadn't he almost forgotten about his older brother? Spike began to speak, his voice full of regret. "God Miles, I know how you must feel. I never meant to…Man..Hey don't you think you're taking this a little too far Miles!" A deafening crash echoed throughout the small room, and Spike realized in horror that the bullet had just barely missed his head.

Miles twirled the smoking gun on his finger and blew on the barrel, "It's too late for you my inferior little brother. You and your crew."

Spike started, _Did he just say?_ "What about my crew Miles!" But he only stood there smirking, with no reply.

Finally he practically whispered, "You'll find out." He strode towards the door, "And by the way brother, I'm no fool. I know you truly are a remarkable escape artist, so I'm not leaving this room. Your escape is to much of a risk for me at this point." He opened the door and pulled in a chair, which he sat on calmly never taking his eyes off of the bound man.

Spike gritted his teeth in rage, "What about my crew? Jet, Faye, Ed? What are you planning? Answer me damn it!"

Miles simply raised his finger, an amused smile on his face, "You forgot to mention the dog, but my lips are sealed. I've seen one too many of those old spy movies to know when to not say anymore."

They sat staring at eachother for a long while, exact opposites. Both men wore tight fitting styled suits, although Miles' was white and Spike's blue. They both had the same unruly hair, and the same chiseled features passed down to them from their father, who neither of them had ever met. In the silence Spike could hear the roar of the ocean's waves, and he realized that the room seemed to lurch ever so slightly with each resounding crash of the water outside. _So I'm on a boat, big surprise there. They must have loaded me onto it the moment after they sprung their little trap on me. _His head still ached from where the shovel had hit him, and he spared a moment to silently scold himself once more for being such a fool. Spike grunted, the handcuffs on his wrists were digging into his skin, but he could tolerate the minor annoyance. The only thing he could seem to focus his thoughts on at the moment was his desire for a smoke. After fidgeting in his seat for a silent and tortorous couple of minutes he raises his head and grins. "Hey Miles, can I get a cigarette?"

Miles smiled, "Why not, I could show a bit of sympathy I suppose." He took one out of an expensive gold case and put it to rest behind Spike's right ear. "There you are, but when you'll have the opportunity to smoke it I don't know, considering the fact that I'm killing you as soon as we get to shore," he laughed and went back to his chair.

"Say Miles?" Spike raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you leave home anyway? I still remember how worried everyone was that you were just suddenly gone."

Miles sighed, years of anguish and mental torment seeming to weigh his body to the seat. He looks up at his brother and for a moment he can remember the good times they used to have together, before the stabs in the back and the murderous intent. "Spike, it's just that I was going through a lot..And you were never there, no one was. All I ever wanted was…"

A loud, blaring horn suddenly cut him off as the ship's defenses sent out a bleating alarm to the crew, and just like that the old Miles was gone and Spike could see the new maniacal side return. Miles didn't seem panicked or scared by the alarm, only extremely annoyed. He looked at Spike, "I'll be right back, don't you move now!" He laughed and then left the room.

The sirens were annoying Spike as well, but he couldn't even cover his ears, and in that moment he suddeny remembered something. If he could just reach his pocket…

"There!" he cried out triumphantly as he pulled out the paperclip he had taken from the funeral. "Morons. Probably figured I couldn't use it to undo my cuffs, like so." The handcuffs drop to the floor with a tiny clang, and Spike makes quick work of the other chains binding him and then runs to the door. He was sore, but alive. As he began to work on the locked door with the paperclip, memories of his childhood fill his head, images of Wesker and him playing in the park behind the old steel mill. Throughout their lives they had stayed in touch, Spike had even just recently spent Christmas day with Albert and his family for christ's sake! How could Miles kill an old friend like that without remorse?

"He truly is psychotic, thank god my other brother didn't turn out so bad," he mutters as he works the tumblers in the door's lock. Although Spike's younger brother believed Spike to be dead and now ran with the Red Dragon Clan, there was no way to know that his idol and fearless leader Viscious was a murderous bastard. One of these days he would have to set his baby brother straight, but for now he would have to take care of his older one.

"Miles, you're going to pay," Spike vows as he finally unlocked the door and stepped out of the cold room. He peered down the corridors, finding himself in a brightly lit hallway below deck. To his left, a sign that read CONTROL ROOM and two guards with their backs to him. To his right, there were no guards. He'd most likely have to take them out before they noticed him staring at them. However, he didn't have his gun and although he was a formidable opponent when using only his body, they weilded automatic rifles and would cut him down in a hail of gunfire by the time he'd be able to reach them.

Suddenly, when he was about to risk it anyway the guards slumped over, two bullets in each of their chests. One flailed around around before falling on his wounded chest with a sickening thud. Spike turned his head in disbelief, and there in the right corridor stood Faye Valentine, a silenced pistol in hand.

She grinned when she saw Spike, then thought of something and pouted, "Hey, no fair Spike. You've already escaped."

Spike jogged over to her, "Man Faye. Believe it or not you actually just did something useful." The purple haired beauty merely smirked and reached into her boot, pulling out, of all things, Spike's gun! He snatched it from her hands, practically drooling to get it back. "I thought I was never going to see this again, but how…"

Faye just started walking towards the control room and called over her shoulder, "A woman has her ways you know Spike. We're not all as helpless as you think we are."

Spike shook his head in frustration, "I don't mean how you got my gun, how'd you get on board?"

Faye shrugged, placing her hands on her hips. "I'd think it was obvious. I followed you and then stowed away as soon as they knocked you out."

Spike looked her up and down, "If you were right behind me the entire time, when did you find the precious time to change your clothes?"

Faye had shed her long black funeral dress for the usual yellow leather outfit. A tight fitting small top, a short pair of leather shorts, knee high boots, and a red head-band. "Atleast _I _had the decency too Spike," she made a nasty face while staring at his dirty, mud soaked suit.

"I was locked up Faye," Spike gritted his teeth, losing his patience.

"Come on, we're wasting time," Faye interrupted him, grabbing his arm and dragging him towards the control room. The tomboy wouldn't let Spike get off a single word. "I know you ar a whiz on a computer, so please, please, please go turn off the security systems while I head to the deck and work on saving them would you?" she cooed. "Cut all the power Spike."

Faye began to walk away, but Spike had too many questions left unanswered forming in his mind. "Who's them?" he asked her, but she had already turned the corner and was gone. "Man she pisses me off soemtimes," Spike huffed as he entered the control room, gun at the ready. "And I forgot to ask her for a lighter."

Spike made quick work of the security systems, hacking into the computer's mainframe and manually switching off all of the video cameras throughout the ship. Viewing the video monitors beforehand, he had seen Faye darting down a corridor. "She does look professional doesn't she?" he asked himself.

A muffled "Mmph," came in reply.

Spike looked down at the bound and gagged guard on the floor and raised an eyebrow, "Who asked you?" There were apparently no video cameras, hidden or not on the deck of the ship, but Spike noticed there had been one in the shadows of his former cell. _Man, this guy must have been sleeping on the job to have missed my escape. Well, just in case he can escape too I'd better make sure he gets the rest of that nap. _Spike rammed the butt of his gun down onto the man's skull, and was rewarded when the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped over. He checks the body's pulse and nods satisfied, "Good, he's alive." He takes a short look around the room before finding a small set of stairs, which he soon realized led straight to the deck. On his way up them he chuckles and shakes his head, "Faye, Faye, Faye, you always take the hard way out," as he leaps into the night and out onto the deck. For the second time that day a blunt object came sailing down onto his head and Spike went crashing into sweet oblivion.

"No flashbacks, thank god.." Spike growled as he opened his eyes slowly. Bright light blinded his vision, and he groaned closing his eyes again.

Miles turned off the flashlight and kneeled down next to his tied up brother. "Well hello again Spike. How are you feeling?" he smirked.

Spike's gun was still in his suit pocket, but it was digging into his ribs. He was tied up yet again. "Miles, just go ahead and finish this. I'm bored with all your little games," he said calmly. If he could not move, he could atleast bide his time to try and figure out where he was this time, and look for possible escapes if any from his predicament.

Miles grinned, spreading his arms wide in glee, "But Spike, I'm afraid it's more complicated than that. Look around and perhaps you will understand."

Spike lifted his head, which was ringing and whistling like crazy and he did understand. Across from him Ed and Jet were strapped to a pole, gagged and motionless. From his position he could see their chests slowly rising and falling, and he sighs gratefully knowing that they were unconscious but still alive. Ein was laying down on the deck near their feet, and the little data-dog seemed bored.

"I've got your crew Spike. All except for that purple haired witch but I'll fix that soon enough. I had suspected you would escape your chains brother, just as I knew it was your little friend Faye who set off the alarms, causing a frenzy on my ship. It was my intention for her to follow you, and now she is aboard my ship all alone and outnumbered. When my men catch her she will suffer the same fate as you…That is, after I'm through with her." He flashes his younger brother an evil smirk, and Spike strains against his bonds in silent fury. "I am back in control brother," he sneered at Spike, shaking his head as he turns his back on him. "Truly inferior."

Spike calmed down, glancing around with a grin, "And where is your crew Miles?"

Miles shrugged, "I guess your little vixen friend killed them all, I care not. My loyalest of servants are still alive and well. Bobo, Pierce, Santa, come to me!" He claps his hands and three figures srrive from below deck. A large, burly man with an ax, a beautiful asian woman carrying a shotgun, and a young man weilding a sword approached Miles, bowing slightly.

Spike watched this display, puzzled. _How much does he pay them to act like slaves?_

Miles noticed that Ed and Jet had woken up, and he rips the tape from their mouths in one fluid motion. "Speak," he commands.

Ed cried out, a young alien yet human looking girl with short red hair and orange skin. "Spike Spike, make them take the ropes off of Ed!" she bawled.

Jet yelled, "Spike, I tried to warn you on the comm, but they got me too!"

Spike shrugged as best he could with his tied up arms, "What are you so freaked about? We've had worse."

Jet shook his head, "These guys are bad news Spike. They snuck up on me," he all but whispered the last part. Spike knew well how hard it was to catch Jet Black unawares, and he regards the trio of minions with curiosity. They stood stark still, awaiting a command from their boss, and again Spike wondered why they were so damned disciplined…Maybe they were good?

Miles made a motion as if to tip an invisible hat at Spike and smiles, "Well since time flies and I simply can't wait to reach the shore anymore, now comes the moment that you do Spike Speigel. Kill him," he ordered the three warriors. "Kill them all."

Suddenly Ein leaped forward, and the brave little Welsh Corgi sunk his teeth into Miles' leg. Miles screamed in pain and fear, "Ah! Get it off, help me!" Bobo, Pierce and Santa stopped advancing on their targets and turned to help their boss. As they were distracted, Faye nimbly dropped down onto the deck and cut loose Ed and Jet, who in return helped Spike free.

Spike stood, gun back in hand and ready for battle. Faye began to rush forward, but Spike stopped her. "Not like that, when they're ready." Faye nodded, but only because she knew that if they were going to be victorius in the fight Spike would have to kill his own brother, and she was in a sympathetic mood. Spike whispered, " Miles is mine, you guys take care of the other three. Oh, and Faye? Let me borrow your lighter would ya?"

Faye scowled and gave it to him as Miles wrestled with Ein over the control of his leg. Spike took the smoke from behind his ear and lit up, dragging deep. _That's what I've been missing…_ He grins.

That was when Miles managed to free himself of the little dog, and without warning savagely thrust his foot into the dog's side. Ein yelped and fell over, shuddering. That was the last straw for Spike, and he charged Miles, firing off three rounds. Miles saw him coming just in time to evade the bullets, catapulting himself to the right. When he stood again he brandished his own weapon, a gun very similar to Spike's own, save for one addition. A laser beam attached onto the barrel with duct tape.

Like a knife had been thrust into his heart Spike gasped, suddenly feeling something for this crazy blue haired man with a gun. "You remember that?" he said in disbelief, almost choking on the words. Miles nodded, locking his eyes onto Spike's. For a split second both men felt for the last time what it meant to be brothers, the bond that brothers share that despite it all is never broken. As they stared eachother down they both felt hesitant to take the battle even one step further, but then Miles raised his gun with expert speed and fired a round.

Spike stumbled back, the bullet deep in his gut. He fell over, clutching his bleeding stomach in horror. The lit cigarette dangling from his lips, he gasped for air after the impact. _He shot me….He actually shot me. My own brother!_

Miles whooped in glee and danced over to where Spike was, putting the gun to Spike's head with a malicious and self-satisfied smile. "This ends now," Spike sighed, sinking to his knees.

"I agree," his brother said, and then he pulled the trigger. Spike fell backward a split second before the bullet lef the barrel and ricocheted off the metal floor of the deck. He kicked out his feet and tripped Miles, sending him sprawling. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ed dodging ax blows from the gargantuan Bobo. He was so close to killing her, his large ax raised over his head for the killing blow, then Ed rushed towards him and punched him right in the groin. The giant sunk to his knees and Spike turned his matters back to his brother, who had just gotten back to his feet. Swinging his gun around, Miles was stunned when Spike deflected it with a high kick and then sent a fist flying into his face.

With a loud crunch, Miles' nose broke, and he dashed away from Spike. Cigarette clenched in between his teeth, Spike held his gun in both hands and emptied his clip at his fleeing brother, but he wasn't fast enough. While preoccupied with loading his gun, the bullet in him sending waves of pain crashing through his body Miles charged him and knocked him to the floor. Then Santa went crashing into the madman, a bullet lodged in his skull thanks to Faye Valentine.

Miles struggled under the weight of the dead man, and finally getting up he noticed that Pierce had also been beaten, Jet stood over her with her own shotgun. He then tied her up as Faye helped Spike to his feet, concerned at the sight of his blood-stained suit.

He shrugs her off and goes for his gun, but it was missing! _No! When Miles crashed into me he must have…_

Miles cackled, and Spike saw him standing before them, dual guns in hand. Spike turned to Faye, "Shoot him!"

Faye took careful aim and fired, then dived for cover as the gun clicked alerting her that it was out of ammo. Miles fired off round after round at Spike, who had just barely been able to dive for cover behind a thick crate.

_No weapons, _he thought desperately as he neared the end of his cigarette. Bullets whined past his head, flying out into open air where they would eventually hit nothing but the ocean. Then he glanced backwards and flashed a sly smile at Faye, who was helping Jet tie up Bobo behind another crate.

"What?" Faye mouthed. "Can't you take care of him yourself?" she whispered.

Spike gave her a signal she knew well, after all they'd used it many times over countless bounty assignments. "Distract him," his four fingers held up meant.

Faye searched the ground and lifted up aheavy wrench, throwing it over the crate where it just sailed past Miles' head.

Miles only sneered, kicking away the crate, "You are starting to bother me woman, tell me where my brother is! Tell me!" He aimed his gun at Faye just as Spike flicked the cigarette Miles had given him at its original owner.

As Faye dashed away from a confused Miles, Spike crouched down as far as he could behind the crate, praying, "Please be no wind. Please be no wind."

The little fireball spun towards his brother as Jet tossed the shotgun to Spike from across the ship. "For you Albert…" Spike said as the little light struck its target, a series of gas drums that Miles had been standing on. The result was instantaneous, and Miles screamed one last time his brother's name as he was thrown backwards off of the boat in flames. Spike leapt up and fired four shots at the falling man right before he struck the water. He took a short moment to stare at the rippling dark water before a gust of hot air reminded him of the blaze now occurring all around him. After bending down to retrieve his gun he called Ed over to him, who was frantically looking around for Ein.

"Ed, get a lifeboat ready, grab any survivors and get out of here!"

A tear rolled down the little genius' cheek. "But Ed must find Einy, Ed saw him get kicked by bad-Spike!"

Spike grits his teeth in pain and grabbed her by the shoulders, "I'll get Ein, just go!"

As Ed ran off towards Jet by the lifeboats, Spike shielded his eyes and stared at the inferno in front of him. "There!" he gasped as he hobbled over to Ein, lifting the poor little hero in his arms and dashing towards the lifeboat. Once there Spike noticed that Jet and Faye had brought along a few prisoners.

They rowed away from the inferno, and Spike finally was able to lay back and take a breather. Did he really just kill his demented, sick, twisted brother? _Yes…_ And to his surprise, it didn't hurt as badly as he thought it would. He borrows a cigarette from Faye and lights it, laughing. "Whoo! All in a day's work, right guys?"

Faye growled, "You ass, you almost killed yourself. God you have to stop falling into these stupid traps all the time."

Jet crosses his arms and frowns, "Yeah, we're all pretty banged up, and not to mention lost at sea.. Man, that Santa guy sure could swing a sword." He shakes his head and sighs, giving Spike one of his classic "I told you so" kind of looks. "But at least you got your brother, so some good came of all this mess."

Spike wasn't listening to Jet though, he was messing around with his communicator's computer when suddenly he began to burst with laughter. Holding his aching stomach, he laughed until tears began to roll down his face.

Ed looked at him warily, and whispered, "Faye Faye, I think Spikey has finally lost it."

Faye threw her arms up and glared at Spike, "What's up Spike? I don't get the joke."

Spike wiped a tear from his eye and points at their two prisoners. "My fool of a brother really did make some good come out of this. I thought I had recognized these clowns and I was right!"

He slaps the cheeks of Bobo and Pierce with glee and then lurched forward, grabbing Jet by the shoulders. "Do you have any idea how high the bounty on them is? We're rich!"


End file.
